BLANCHE ARRAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8412, 30 April 1907, Page 5

BLANCHE ARRAL.

There was a large attendanceat the Town Hall, last evening, to hear Madame Blanche Arral, the famous singer, and her company. Among the great artists that have favoured Masterton with a visit Madame Blanche Arral occupies the unique position of being the first one to rely mainly on operatic selections for her repertoire. Gifted with a pure soprano of splendid range and quality,' enhanced by the most perfect training and dramatic power, she could not fail to raise the enthusiasm of her audience. Scale runs, diatoriu and chro'matu, arpegipos, skips, and trills, were all rendered without any effort and with unerring accuracy.' Accompanying her songs with actions and gestured like a true artist, she produced a profound impression, though all her jsongs were rendered in a foreign tongue. With a foresight; the numbers were selected from i.ie three greatest French opera composers, Thomas, Meyerbeer, and Gounod. The Flower song from "Faust" and the Page song from "The Huguenots" formed the principal vocal numbers of the first part of the programme while a scene from Thomas' tragic opera filled the second part of the programme. For the latter scene appropriate stage settings had been provided, and proved, no doubt, the finest operatic item ever seen in Masterton. The song of Titania, with its chain of shakes, was a most delightful vocal performance. Of the shorter numbers, Gounod's familiar "Serenade," and characteristic Spanish song, "Manalo," with castagnettis and tambourin in the orchestra, *ere vociferously encored. The other members of the concert company are all genuine artists on their particular instruments. Herr George Paans, the violinist, was repeatedly encored. He is a brilliant player. Signor A. Torzillo, the harpist, responding to the demands of the audience, gave a splendid rendering of the ever popular, "Come Back To Erin." A nnely rendered flute solo, by Jean Stewart, from Auber's Masaniello, formed the remaining instrumental solo item. These splendid solo artists, together with a capable pianist, formed themsdves into an orchestra for the rendering of Adams' sparkling overture Si j'etais roi," and selections from "Mignon," and supplied the accompaniments of such a quality as seldom heard in Masterton.